Progressive Learning
by spankingfemfatale
Summary: An alternate ending to the Mighty Thor trade: Loki where Odin stops Loki in his tracks and rights Asgard in a most befitting way! WARNING! Non-sexual spanking! Another fantastic fic written for me by Jason! Woot! XD
1. Second Chances

Jason loves me so! *squee!* He's Written another epic spanking fic for me taking an alternate route from the 4 part mini for the Mighty Thor: Loki

First part in italics is taken directly from the Loki Trade, then the story spins off from there.

_Odin's steely gaze fell upon Loki as he entered the small cell, who swept grandiosely inside to stand before his adoptive father, who was eye level to Loki despite the fact that he sat on a small stool hunched forward with his hands upon his knees. Loki worked to keep the contemptuous look on his face as he met that raptor stare; even though unarmed and defeated, the All-Father intimidated him. Odin straightened slightly as he entered, the chains on his hands and feet rattling with the motion. ''I admit no small surprise, my son. I had not thought to see you in this place.''_

_Loki's upper lip curled back in a contrite snarl, ''No? And why is that?''_

_Odin continued to stare casually, ''Why, because of the shame you must feel before me.''_

_Loki smiled cruelly, ''Shame? The word has no meaning for me. Dangle a joint of beef before a starving dog. When that hound, after long hours of begging, finally savages you and takes the meat, and your arm besides, must it feel shame? Or something closer to victory?''_

_Odin leaned forward, his great mane of long white hair flowing over his face as he put his head into his hands, ''I... I have utterly failed in you.''_

_Loki leaned in, his eyes burning with anger, ''No, father; I am not so easily fooled as that. I know, as you have always known, that you succeeded with me most admirably.''_

_Odin regarded him dully, the greatest of all gods looking as nothing so much as a tired old man, ''I do not take your meaning.''_

_Loki's eyes narrowed as he spat out, ''Oh, do you not...? ...You slew my true father on the field of battle.''_

_Odin interrupted, his eyes hard, ''I do not deny it. I defeated Laufey according to the rules of engagement... there was no dishonor in it, for him or for me.''_

_Loki snarled, ''Indeed? ...What do the 'rules of engagement' say about kidnapping your victim's son?''_

_Odin's brow drew down in annoyance, ''It was to honor Laufey that I took you as my own... you were a true prince, heir to an honored warrior.''_

_Loki pointed an accusatory finger at Odin, ''I was more that that, All-Father. I was a means to an end for you, was I not?''_

_A flash of anger crossed Odin's eyes, ''Do not riddle me so. If your festering mind holds an accusation, have out with it.''_

_Loki sneered down at him, his face a picture of disgusted outrage, ''Simply this, then: How best to make a hero? Give him a means by which he might define himself so. Set up a field of black against which his white will be yet more blinding._

_Odin's eye did not waver from Loki's. ''You speak of Thor.''_

_Loki splayed his hands as if explaining something to a child. ''Yes, I speak of Thor. My stepbrother, filled with energy and ambition. How to mold him according to your will?'' Loki sneered. ''Why, Mold a villain alongside him. Take into your arms a helpless babe. Prod him with temptation. Reward him with ridicule. Expect the very worst from him and refuse to see any good, lest it flourish thereby.''_

_Odin looked away, sighing heavily. ''You are deranged.''_

_''Am I? Then look at me, father, and tell me plain that I was not brought to your court for the sole purpose of galvanizing Thor's goodness.''_

_Odin merely hung his head, looking defeated._

_''I understand you now, but you do not yet understand me. In demonizing me, you have outwitted yourself. I am Laufey's revenge. Of late I have been told that I am a prisoner of fortune... that the forces which created me are inviolate across many realms, and thus those whom it uses are exempt from blame for their role in the tragedy of my life. And yet I myself am ever to be held guilty for my own actions-- which, by the laws of the cosmos, I am helpless to change or alter. No matter the crimes committed against me, it is only I who will be called criminal.''_

_''I reject this outright. And I have proved that the laws of the cosmos are not so immutable as I have been told. I now rule Asgard. I have ceased to be the trickster and am henceforth lord of all. And those who have had a hand in making of my misery will not escape my righteous judgment. Thor my brother is to die at sunrise. And you, stepfather, slayer of my true father, you are to watch him.''_

_Odin's stare had shifted to the floor as Loki ranted, his shoulders hunched, his countenance resigned. He finally looked up to to reply to Loki's threats, ''And how will you do this thing, Loki? The god of thunder is not so easily dispatched.'' Odin knew Loki had captured Thor, but was uncertain how well Loki had managed to subdue his half-brother._

_Loki smiled confidently, gleefully even as he looked down at Odin, ''I will cut off his head.'' Loki's smile spread as he gauged Odin, making sure the All-Father knew it was within his power to carry out his edict, wanting to see concern on his step-father's face._

Odin rose slowly to stand, chains sliding noisily along the floor as his burly bare-chested form reached it's full height, towering over Loki. Loki tried his best not to flinch or cringe away but did so anyway. ''No, you will not.''

Loki sputtered, his face a mask of ill-contained rage, ''Y-you dare to tell me no?! Remember whom is the lord and whom is the one in chains, you fool!'' Loki began to step back nervously despite his bold words, perhaps he had ventured too close to Odin during his tirade... the chains... they would allow Odin to reach him from... Loki knew Odin could see his panic, and he tried to leap backwards, his mouth opening to scream, ''Guards!!''

But Odin, despite being much older, reacted far faster than Loki, a powerful hand clamping around Loki's thin wrist, dragging him inexorably towards the All-Father as Odin sat upon the simple cot Loki had afforded him. What is he...? Odin's intent became clear as he drew Loki forcefully across his knee, the latter still dazed from the speed of this unexpected action. Loki's mind registered the fact that Odin had slapped him across the rear almost a full second after it had happened. ''Ow! What in Hel are you doing?!''

Loki's eyes widened in shock as another swat landed across his cheeks then another, he tried to scramble off of Odin's lap, but the stronger god held him easily, pinning Loki's arm behind him painfully behind his back, the one hand more than enough to fix Loki onto Odin's leg with enough force to ensure he could not get away. Loki struggled for air for a moment, then stopped fighting to be free, a sigh of relief as Odin eased the force bearing down on his diaphragm cut short as he hitched his breath in pain at another slap. ''Release me! I am lord of Asgard now, you test my patience!''

A drop of sweat trickled down Loki's face. He had lost control. He was not sure anything he could say would get Odin to let him go. His heart sank as he heard Odin growl in anger over his last comment. He trembled in anticipation; he had just angered Odin and he was effectively pinned and helpless. For the second time in several seconds, Loki felt he had made a grave error. Where were the guards? He had summoned them from the space of a single hall, and still they did not present themselves, though at this time, Loki was not sure he wanted them to see his present plight.

''Release me, Odin, and I will be lenient in my treatment of you as prisoner, I have been thusly fair so far, have I not? I am a grown man, this is a foolish course you take!'' He tried to keep a straight face as he said this, glaring levelly over his shoulder at Odin, but a sharp slap made him yelp, and he shifted nervously. Odin saw this discomfort, and it seemed to spur him on, his large callused hand swatting Loki harder.

Loki shook with the effort of not crying out in pain, he did not wish for Odin to see how much this hurt, though his heart fearfully told him that Odin had already seen too much. ''This solves nothing, let me go!'' Loki gasped in shock as Odin suddenly ripped his pants down and planted a powerful slap across his bared ass. He could not help himself now, he cried out as each swat landed painfully, the clothes no longer acting as barrier to the painful sting that quickly reddened his cheeks. ''Stop!''

Odin nodded, more to himself than Loki, ''It would seem you are wrong, Loki, this does have an effect on you. I should have done this a long time ago. You are a whining petulant little eyesore, not for the foolish reasons you gave to me, but because you have gone for far too long without effective discipline. I shall remedy that forthwith.''

Tears of pain and rage ran jagged paths down Loki's face now, and he gritted his teeth with the effort needed to focus enough to talk through the pain, ''I am no child! You shall feel my wrath once the guards come and tear you from me! Release me now, or you will suffer! Ow!'' Loki yelped as Odin laid a powerful slap in the same place as the last, increasing the pain of his next slap so much that he bucked, yelling out his pained rage in an unintelligible roar.

''Fool of a son, you have no guards, it takes more than might to make a worthy ruler. This seems to vex you greatly, perhaps there is hope you can learn something from this yet.''

Loki screamed out as another strong swat landed unerringly where the last three had. His heart raced, Odin was convinced this brutality was going to somehow solve things, he trembled with the pain he had already felt, knowing he approached his threshold for it, dreading how long it might take Odin to feel satisfied that he had 'learned his lesson'. ''You see only rage here, that grows against you! Such treatment is wasted on an adult, and even if it wasn't, you have no right! I am not your son and you are not my father, save your discipline for your own kin!''

Loki shrieked as yet another slap landed on his incredibly sensitive cheeks, and he channeled the pain into punching Odin's leg with his free hand, biting and scratching as best he could, kicking his legs with all of his might, trying to hit Odin's spanking arm. Odin grunted and shifted Loki forward, putting his face out of biting range as he grabbed Loki's other arm, pinning it in place with the other behind his back. Loki gasped at the feeling of helplessness, Odin's muscled arm locking both of his into place at the small of his back and pressing hard to prevent his escape.

He continued to try to kick but the angle he was now at prevented him from getting the leverage he would need to strike Odin or interfere with the spanking. As the barrage of slaps increased in power and speed Loki felt his resolve break at his feeling of hopelessness. ''P-please! T-there is no reason we cannot be civil! R-release me, and let us talk as men!'' Odin simply shook his head, and Loki felt his last chance fade away, the knowledge that he could not get free somehow making each slap sting more sharply. Loki panicked, feeling like he could take no more, ''G-guards! Guards!!''

He did not care if they saw him anymore, he only wanted to be spared from the horrible pain he now felt. Where were they? Why did they not come? Loki felt the tears dropping from his face onto the cold stone below. They all hated him, they would not come, they did not care what befell Loki, no one really did. He screamed his outrage, his voice resounding off the walls. Then his ears perked as he heard a distant noise from the hall leading to the cell he and Odin occupied, and his heart lifted in hope.

Soon he could pick out the distinct sound of armored feet striking the stone floors, and two guardsman burst through the cell door, pausing as they took in what they saw. Loki blushed in shame at them seeing him exposed as Odin continued spanking him, as if oblivious to the presence of the guards. ''What are you waiting for, you fools?! He assaults me! Free me from his grasp!'' Loki's face sank as the two Asgardians stood where they were, as if uncertain of what they should do.

''I am Lord of Asgard! You will help me, now!'' Spittle flew from Loki's lips as he screamed this, his voice lifted by desperate fury. Still they remained as they were, seeming to settle into place on either side of the door, in fact, as if he had summoned them to guard the exit instead of saving him from the spanking of his adult life. Loki simply screamed at them in humiliated rage, the slaps Odin continued to rain down on him driving the ability to speak from his mind.

He could take no more, and his body writhed in Odin's grip as he sobbed his pain with each slap, tears flowing freely down his face as his glowing red ass quivered in pain, clenching involuntarily before each swat. ''M-mercy! P-please, let me go!'' Loki shook with the sum of his misery; the intolerable pain, the humiliation, the guards who stood across simply watching him, surely laughing in their hearts at his persecution. He sobbed loudly, cringing at how pathetic his own voice sounded.

Odin spoke though he did not stop the spanking, slapping one cheek then the other to elicit a fresh cry of pain from Loki, ''You will cede ruler-ship of Asgard to me, where these guards can act as witness, and then I will command these two to leave us so we may speak.''

Loki squinted his eyes and gritted his teeth as he shook furiously, ''Never! You will not defeat me so!'' Loki gasped in shock, his eyes widening as Odin increased the speed of his spanking to a blinding volley. The trickster god screamed out until he was hoarse then continued to scream, his throat raw with the effort as he struggled to breath through his own yells, his body swaying as best it could within the confines of Odin's grasp.

He meant to take the kingdom back with a spanking! To break Loki's will with a child's punishment! He flushed red with shame, for he knew in his heart that he had already lost, that he could not hold out against the pain he felt, and Loki wept in defeat. The fact that he could not move bore down on him like a weight; Odin would never tire, this would continue for as long as Odin deemed necessary, Loki could not escape. He wailed pathetically, his mouth wide as he poured out his misery in wracking sobs. There was nothing he could do, once again Loki was doomed to lose from the beginning; he could not fight fate. ''Y-you have won!''

''I have won what, Loki? Please be clear to these guards what it is you have lost.''

Loki gritted his teeth against the rush of humiliation, ''Asgard is Odin's! Loki rules no more!'' he sobbed.

Odin nodded to the two sentries and they nodded back, leaving the two alone once again in the cell. Still Odin did not stop, his hand a blur as it poured punishment on Loki's welted backside. Loki twisted his head around to look at Odin over his own shoulder, his face a mask of pained shock, ''W-why do you keep spanking me?! You said if I gave you Asgard, you would stop! Once again, you have lied to Loki!'' Loki whined.

''Wrong, I told you that I would command the guards to leave, so that we could speak. I never said your spanking was over. It is over when I feel you are sorry enough for your treasonous behavior.''

Loki simply whined in misery as reply, yelping occasionally as Odin's hand met his sensitive cheeks. Odin still took from him, like everyone else, the All-Father was not happy with his victory over Loki, he meant to break his will completely as well. Loki sobbed his pain as he twitched under the hard slaps, ''S-sorry! I'm s-sorry! I truly am, I regret ever embarking on this affair!'' Loki bucked forward as a slap delivered to his seat caused him to cry out in agony.

Odin lightened the spanking ever so slightly, his face compassionate, ''Now we make progress, Loki, I am glad there seems to yet be hope for you. Whether you accept me as your father or not, I am your guardian and I shall make sure you correct this horrible path you have taken. Sadly, due to the fact that you have garnered a reputation as a master of lies for yourself, I cannot take you at your word that you are sorry, I will only stop once I am convinced without doubt of your regret.''

Loki wailed in panicked desperation, the irony of his inability to prove himself sincere to Odin not lost on him. He continued to rock forward with each slap, his mind numb with pain he could not handle, but maddeningly unable to escape from. A sudden tremor and a loud booming sound of shattering stone shook the air, giving pause even to Odin's hand. Loki knew it could only be Thor escaping from his prison, and as much as that thought scared him, he savored the break in Odin's relentless spanking, drawing in deep breaths as sweat poured in rivulets down his back, his body convulsing with remembered pain.

''T-thor escapes... he will seek me out now to do me harm...'' Loki's bottom lip trembled as he said this. This is how he would go to Hel; killed by his hated brother Thor, his pants still around his ankles and his ass covered with the prints of Odin's hand. He would be a mockery in death as he had been in life. Loki whimpered pathetically then bucked in surprise as Odin's hand came down hard once more. ''Y-you have not had enough?! Thor comes to kill me, and you continue to add to my disgrace?'' Loki yelped at the fresh pain; starting again after the rest only seemed to make the spanking hurt more!

Odin sighed at Loki, ''Your brother shall stay his hand if I command it; unlike you, he has proven his loyalty. We must finish your discipline, your obvious self-pity convinces me we are not yet through.''

Loki twisted in pain with each slap, but his fear drove him to focus enough to speak, ''Y-you mean to have Thor see me like this when he arrives?! P-please, I beg you, only let us continue after we have spoken to my enraged brother! Please father!'' Loki began to sob and cry anew as the new pain quickly became unbearable.

Odin glared at Loki as he increased the power of the spanking, ''So now you call me father? No. You said before that you knew not shame. Let this be proof to you that you need to remember it.''

Loki opened his mouth to plea further but the room shook then as the doors across from them blew open, each door slamming against the wall it hinged from hard enough to crack the stone, one door falling from it's heavy steel hinges with a boom. Thor stood beyond, his injuries still plain on his bared chest, but his muscles bulged with power and he wielded his hammer in front of him menacingly. His eyes burned with rage and small bolts of lightning crackled along his form. His eyes were locked on Loki and he took a step into the room before he seemed to realize the full image he gazed upon.

The anger seemed to slide off of his face, replaced by a look of confusion. Loki's skin darkened and he wished against all reason that Thor were still angry with him, he would rather Thor strike him with that accursed hammer than for his brother to watch Odin continue to spank him as he did. Thor lowered his hammer as he watched, his mouth open in surprised awe. Loki closed his eyes against his shame, bowing his head as he could no longer keep from crying out in pain with each swat as Odin continued to spank him evenly. He wished he could press his face into his hands or Odin's thigh, anything to hide the humiliation on his face from Thor, but his attempts to bite his father earlier had ensured that he could not hide himself now. So instead he simply wept, painfully aware of how pathetic his sobbing and each yelp he made looked to his brother.

After a few long moments, Thor collected himself from the unexpected sight, straightening to regard Odin, ''I see you have this well in hand father. I am pleased to see you have taken to punishing Loki for his crimes, albeit a little estranged as to your methods. I will speak to you later, as I most certainly have issues concerning Loki that I would like to bring to your attention, that discipline of this sort might not completely account for.''

Odin nodded at Thor, not slowing his hand in delivering slaps to his squirming sobbing son. ''Very well, Thor, I am most certain we have much to discuss. Leave us and I will decide later if Loki needs more punishment than I levy upon him now.'' Loki felt his heart sink at the thought of further punishment, trembling at the thought of Odin commanding Thor to spank him again, as it had 'proven effective'. Such punishment would surely be severe given his brothers wrath over recent events. Thor nodded back and departed without a word, the only sounds in the shattered cell now Odin's slaps on Loki's sore cheeks and the latter's cries of pain.

Loki wriggled around in a way that would have been comic, if there was any comedy to be found in his suffering. ''I shall leave you with this lesson to sulk yourself to sleep as you are sure to do, but here within the same chains you placed upon your father, my ungrateful son. However, first I shall administer ten more hard slaps to help you remember why we have come to this.'' Loki cried out with each slap, he could not be certain, but it felt as if Odin took more time between each, an eternity spread between each swat in which he clenched anxiously awaiting the next pain.

By the fourth slap Loki felt he could not bear any more, somehow the knowledge that he was to receive six more proving maddeningly impossible. Odin ignored his pleas, screams, and struggles, though, and Loki wailed and shook. He kicked out on each swing with the last three, his legs straining out and his back arched as he yelped loudly. Odin broke the chains that held him and attached another set onto Loki as his son shuddered on the floor, curled int a ball and crying into his knees. Never had he felt so broken. He could never win, a lifetime of misery. Odin regarded him for a moment before he turned to leave, ''Think on what has happened here, and before you think to apply yourself to more treachery, consider the fact that your punishment here is likely not through.''

Loki's only response was a long wail of anguish as Odin departed, leaving him crying alone in the dark room. Loki supposed this was what he got for gloating.

And so ends chapter 1. Stay tuned kids... *evil grin*


	2. It's not over yet!

Loki twisted about in his chains. Dim light played across him, telling him that sunrise approached. This light fell in from the small barred window above as well as the door across the room from him. Loki gazed at the shattered frame and doors, the wall cracked from where Thor had burst in a few days before. A lasting sign of his brother's anger. Loki shuddered at the implications of that anger. Odin and Thor had spoken of further 'punishment' for Loki, and left him here for days to do nothing but languish in anticipation bound by chains that had runes upon them to ward against his magics.

The very chains he had crafted and placed upon his father Odin not so long ago. Irony was ever Loki's enemy. A guard came in periodically to leave a simple plate of equally simple fare to sustain him, and this was the only way Loki had to keep track of the time that passed. Minutes stretched into eternities as he waited, his anxiety without cure. He cried the first day, the second he became angry and bitterly cursed the fates that had so cruelly led him to this point.

The third day he began to hatch plans for the time when he could escape. The seventh day he began to give up hope that he would be freed, and the following day he began to fear what punishment had taken so long to decide upon. When Thor finally shadowed the broken doors Loki found himself trembling, the chains holding him in place rattling. ''I-I see you have finally come, brother, my throat is dry and my belly empty, I had begun to wonder if our father had not decided to let me waste away, forgotten in this cursed tower. It would certainly follow his previous treatment of his unwanted other son.''

Thor walked up to Loki slowly, his fists clenched. The thunder god leaned in close to Loki's rugged face and the latter flinched away from the fierce eyes above him. ''Has your time left to think on your actions done so very little for you, Loki? You still talk as if Odin treats you unfairly, as if you had not called your fate down upon your own head.''

Loki did his best to scowl into that hard face, ''I have learned through Balder that I am destined to this path by forces outside of my control, if you do not believe me, ask him. I had in fact decided to fight fate just prior to my meeting with our father. My threat to kill you was idle, I admit I was angered by Odin's lack of concern for my place in this fate over the years. I had actually meant to release you from your imprisonment, to break the chains of fate!''

Thor's brow drew down as he weighed Loki's words, ''And if you had released me, I suppose you thought I would have taken your arm in mine and we would have happily skipped off to release father from the chains you placed on him?'' Thor slammed a fist into the stone behind Loki's head, showering the trickster in pebbles and dust, ''Do you know nothing of accountability for your previous actions?''

Loki's face reflected a bit of surprise and his lips trembled, ''But it is to turn over a new leaf that I would have released you! To fight fate and make myself worthy in the eyes of our father and yourself! A new life for Loki, freed from the horrible one thrown upon me by others!''

Thor scowled at his half-brother, ''Then you admit in what you say that you feel you have the ability to change your fate through your own decisions. Which means that you could have made the same choice before you carried out any of the other shameful acts that you have committed. You decided to free me, a noble choice, then you chose to pain Odin by telling him you would kill me, proving yourself capable of both honor and treachery. Each person must atone for their mistakes, do you still wish to atone for yours, Loki?''

Loki felt uncertain where this was headed, but felt there may yet be hope of talking his way out of his imprisonment if he played along with Thor's do-gooder atonement idea. ''Yes, brother, I wish to atone for my crimes and make myself new in the eyes of all of Asgard.'' Loki did his best to make his face sincere. He wondered if he would have to make a public apology to atone for his crimes. Such would be nigh unbearable, but he supposed he could reign in his disgust long enough to start fresh.

Thor studied him carefully as he replied. ''I am glad you wish to set things right Loki. Things will go easier for you as long as you are willing to cooperate. You have a long hard road ahead of yourself in repairing your reputation among our people, but after they see your punishment carried out they will certainly be more willing to believe you are sincerely ready to change.''

Loki stuttered, ''P-punishment? I thought I was simply to atone for my crimes, I am willing to repair the damage I have done, can we not leave it at that and let me prove myself before all?''

Thor shook his head, ''No, Loki. Atonement involves discipline as well, I thought you aware of that, are you going to try to wheel yourself away from paying for your crimes?''

Loki stomped his foot as he angrily replied, ''But it was fate that drew me to this course! Allow me some small leeway for this fact! Balder can confirm what I say to you!''

Thor shook his head as he replied, ''I spoke to Balder, after we released him of the chains you placed on him. Pick one, Loki, either you can affect your fate or you cannot. If you can, there is hope your punishment will see you well, if not your punishment shall not end.''

Loki paled visibly, ''I do wish to change my fate, I do... please I ask for mercy in levying my punishment?''

Thor nodded, ''I have already spoken to Odin on this matter, I personally suggested banishment, while others of the Asgardian court suggested death...'' Loki felt himself tremble as he waited for Thor to continue, ''...but Odin in his wisdom, has decided a fitting punishment for you that will enable you to stay alive and within Asgard, so you may start anew.''

Loki heard his own voice quaver as he asked, ''S-s what sort of punishment has Odin in his wisdom decided?''

Thor began to unlock the chains binding Loki, and for some reason, this seemed to only increase his worry. As the last lock fell away Thor smiled and clapped a strong hand on Loki's shoulder, causing the trickster to cringe, ''As you paraded me through Asgard in chains to humiliate me, so I shall spank you in the very center of our fine city for all to see.''

Loki shrieked, ''Noooo!! Surely there is discipline more befitting a prince of Asgard?!'' Loki tried to pull away but found Thor's grip on his shoulder implacable.

Thor shook his head, ''Nay, no punishment could more befit a spoiled prince of Asgard.'' Thor grabbed Loki's wrist and led him from the chamber, Loki forced to walk along behind him or fall.

As they exited the small prison Loki began to drag his feet, creating small furrows in the dirt as he fought in vain to return to his cell. ''No! Please, lets talk this matter over more, we have not approached every angle, perhaps there is a service I could perform instead of this!''

Thor shook his head again as he dragged the trickster through the waking city street, ''Odin has decided. His word is law.''

Loki panicked, sweat furrowing his brow, ''Wait! Tell Odin I wish for banishment! I would never set foot in Asgard again, I swear!''

Thor smiled, seeming satisfied with Loki's plea, ''Indeed, Odin is wise.''

Loki whined a little as Thor pulled him into the center of the city square. Loki saw shopkeepers coming out to open their stores and stalls, continuing their varied tasks but watching the scene curiously. ''Brother, please, if you have any love for me a all...'' Loki felt tears forming at the corners of his eyes, still acutely aware of the pain still radiating from his posterior, reminding him of Odin's strong hand.

Thor looked not without compassion, ''It is for love of you that I do this thing, Loki.'' Without further words Thor wrapped a muscled arm around Loki's torso and lifted him into the air, Loki's legs kicking and arms spread, fingers splayed as he gave out a surprised yelp. With his other hand Thor drew down Loki's pants, and Loki gasped as he felt the cold morning air on his exposed cheeks.

Loki looked out and saw the citizens surrounding them had stopped their duties to stare, and his face reddened in shame, tears pouring from his eyes now as he realized his words would not stop Thor. ''No! Ow!''

Thor slapped Loki's backside hard with his open hand, causing the trickster to kick in pain, but with his legs in the air, the kicking did little to impede the following swats. Loki clawed at Thor as the thunder god increased the speed and power of his slaps, trying desperately to escape the unbearable pain. His buttocks were still sensitive from Odin's severe spanking, and that caused this to hurt that much more.

He began to cry out with each swat, painfully aware that his voice echoed across the courtyard, attracting more onlookers. He shut his eyes and buried his face in Thor's thigh, so he would not have to meet the gaze of those watching. His cries became muffled as he pushed himself into Thor's leg.

Thor noted this, ''This will not do, brother, you must face your punishment, we shall return to the position that Odin in his wisdom chose for you.'' With that Thor dropped to one knee, throwing Loki over the other, placing him so that he could no longer hide his face. Loki wailed a protest but Thor paid him no heed, locking his arms behind his back as he had seen Odin do previously.

This seemed to frustrate Loki further, driving his cries to a high pitch. Loki kicked out hard, occasionally slapping Thor with a foot as the spanking continued. ''Loki, still your legs, or you will see that I yet hold back the lion's share of my strength!''

Loki cringed as Thor said this, and shuddered as he fought to hold his feet upon the ground, his legs twitching up with each swat. ''P-please... I can't...'' Loki cried.

''You will, or you will regret it.''

Loki sobbed loudly as he continued to try to hold his rebellious legs in place, becoming increasingly aware of the growing crowd around him. Most did not speak, but a few jeered him, and Loki flushed with embarrassment. He could shut his eyes against them, but he could still hear the taunts of the growing group. ''B-brother, has this not been enough, all of Asgard now jeers me!''

Thor shook his head, ''There are yet more Asgardians to be roused with your cries, Loki, come, let us wake them all from their slumber.'' With that he increased the speed of his swats to a blinding blur, causing Loki to buck forward in pain.

Loki screamed out at the fresh pain, ''This is c-cruelty!''

''This is justice.''

Loki looked around him and bleakly realized that Thor would not stop until all of Asgard had witnessed his humiliation.

Thor appraised Loki as the latter cried out for mercy, bucking forward with each swat. Thor felt some pity for his whimpering brother, but he recollected his own humiliation as Loki had strutted about him when he had been bound and beaten, boasting over Thor to all of Asgard. This filled him with the need to secure justice with his half-brother.

As Thor thought upon how to do this with the spanking Odin had afforded him, Loki cried out, ''W-what have I ever done to deserve insult of this level, brother?''

Thor's jaw set in a tight line as Loki answered his thoughts unwittingly. ''I am glad you ask, brother. I shall list off each offense you have committed against me personally. Then I shall administer a slap for each as I go, to show you not one of your ill deeds shall go unpunished. Pray my memory is not eidetic in this matter, Loki.''

Loki's brow drew up in worry, trying to imagine how many offenses Thor might be speaking of, knowing in his heart that the list was indeed long... ''Wait, brother, my past actions are not why we... ow!''

''That one was for parading me around in chains with no regard for my health.''

*swat* ''Ow! Wait!''

''That is for imprisoning me with nothing to eat or drink for several days.''

''Stop!'' *slap* ''Ahhh!''

Long minutes passed, and Loki realized that his brother's memory was quite acute as Thor cited one offense after the other, following each with a slap that tested Loki's ability to keep his feet in place and countered his natural impulse to argue each one. Loki twitched and yelped with each slap.

''And this is for turning the Thunderstorm against me...''

''But I didn't...'' *swat* ''Ow!''

Loki's face trembled, tears flowing freely as the litany continued, Thor citing a trick or prank Loki had set in motion, then punishing him rapidly for it, the slaps ringing out across the town square. Many of the gathered crowd jeered Loki for the redness of his cheeks and his childish antics. At first Loki yelled back insults between his cries of pain, then he fell to blubbering cries that could not be understood as the jeering increased. 'They all hate me', Loki brooded. They have been waiting for the day when my brother humiliated me in front of them all. Loki sobbed his self-pity between yells as Thor's hand continued to rain down.

How many times had he crossed Thor? Loki panicked as he thought how long it must take Thor to recount thousands of years of misdeeds... Loki squirmed in a desperate bid to avoid that hand, but Thor was unerring in his delivery of Loki's punishment. Loki wailed anew at his feeling of helplessness, his face a picture of misery.

Thor finally seemed to tire of his list, ''Loki, I would be here all night reciting your misdeeds, and yet be not be finished. I see this pains you greatly, so as an act of mercy I shall only administer a fair number more powerful slaps to account for the many things left unsaid.'' Loki peered back at him bleakly, his eyes watery and his expression mournful. ''Remember this day well, Loki, for if you err again I shall not be so lenient.''

With that Thor's hand became a whirlwind of slaps, Loki's feet kicking straight out, his whole body tense as he gave one long wide-eyed scream of pain. As Thor continued to punish his backside that scream turned into a series of shrieks, Loki twisting this way and that in Thor's grip, trying to escape the unbearable pain.

His back arched and his feet kicked as if Loki no longer controlled them. ''Please, stop! Please!'' Loki gasped, but Thor did not slow and Loki yelled himself hoarse with the pain as Thor's hand slapped one cheek then the other then both, Loki's red buttocks quivering with the shock and clenching in a spastic way between each strike.

Thor suddenly stopped and Loki gasped for air, tears streaming from his eyes. He looked back over his shoulder at his brother, praying that this meant it was over. Thor was staring coolly down at him. ''I see how far this pushes you, so I give you rest before I finish.''

Tears welled up again in Loki's eyes. ''Y-you are not yet done?'' Loki tried to gulp with a dry throat and shuddered at the thought of more of such a spanking.

Thor shook his head sadly at Loki. ''No, and before you wallow too much in that, think how these are only your sins against me. Imagine if everyone here were to spank you thus for your crimes against their person. Take a look around and gauge the pain you would be in for.''

Loki's eyes wandered across the silent throng that stood watching his shame, noting the hard look in many of their faces, and he gulped again. His eyes locked on Lady Sif and he trembled in terror at the look in her eyes. ''T-they cannot... O-odin has not decreed...'' Loki licked his lips nervously.

Thor smiled at his brother's reaction. ''I am certain the All-father would allow it, pray thee that they do not all petition him at once, or you shall have a very painful time ahead.''

Loki trembled as this all sank in, ''P-please... no...''

Thor's face became resolute once more. ''Give them reason not to, Loki. Learn from this lesson and none of this need repeating.'' Thor began once more to slap Loki, and the trickster bucked forward with surprised pain.

''Ah!''

Thus it continued for some time, the crowd silent so that only Thor's hand and Loki's cried resounded from the walls as Thor laid one slap after another on Loki's bared rear, the trickster sobbing between shrieks of pain and humiliation.

After a time Thor quit his punishment and stood, pulling Loki to standing but maintaining his hold on his half-brother. ''Your sentence is served. Odin has commanded I return you to him now that the public has seen your disgrace.''

Loki felt his stomach sink at what had just transpired, and worry over returning to his father. Loki wobbled on shaky legs as Thor guided him back to the castle. He had never feared his family as he did today.


	3. Running doesn't make it better

Loki whimpered and gasped, his breath hitching as he struggled to breath through his sobs. He tried to regain control of himself as he limped through Odin's castle halls, his ass sore from his recent punishment. He sniffled and wiped one hand across his face as he walked, worried that someone might see him crying in the corridor. This was too much... he was no child to be treated so, to be spanked across his father's lap like a babe, and then his brother of all people!

Loki smoldered that Thor had brought him to this, if not for his buffoon of a brother, his plans would have succeeded. Thor did not care that he fought destiny for Thor's sake, his brother did not return his undeserved love! Now he had nothing to show for all his hard work save a bruised ego and a sore ass. Thor had brought him before Odin after making a public mockery of him before all, and Odin had sent him to his chambers... sent to his room as if he were a small child!

Loki had complied silently at the time, as he had feared another punishment from Odin, and had been relieved that he was to leave his father's presence, but now he smoldered over the treatment. He fumed as he entered his personal chambers, already setting his retaliation for this mockery within the confines of his mind.

Jotenheim. The warriors there swore fealty to Loki Laufeyson, lost son of their conquered lord. They had built themselves into a formidable force over the centuries since their defeat to Odin. Giant men with stout hearts that thrived on bloodshed, they lived to see Asgard fall. Their fall had made them even harder and more determined than before, but Loki knew they would not be enough... perhaps the frost giants to the north? They were rare these days but even a few could tip the balance in Jotenheim's favor.

Needless to say, Loki did not want Asgard to fall, he just needed a suitable conflict to work a trap against Thor. Thor would regret what he had delivered Loki into... Loki winced as he reached down to touch his tender backside. Yes, he would regret... all Loki had to do was escape this foolish confinement, then once safely out of Odin's purview, he would send a messenger bird with a note to his shadowy allies to the north, cloaked with a spell to hide it's cargo. No one would be the wiser, for his hand in the matter would be invisible, he would not even show up there to gloat. He had learned his lesson there.

Loki smiled. Soon, Jotenheim would amass once more for war, Thor would fall and then Loki would sweep in once it was safe to assume command of his loyal armies, so Odin would know it was Loki who took Asgard back into his rightful hands. Loki beckoned a small mouse that resided in the wall of his room over, then whispered to it quietly. The mouse nodded, then scurried off to do his will.

A few minutes later the whole of the castle shook with a shuddering boom, and cries could be heard from rallied soldiers. Loki listened intently and heard one of the soldiers watching his room at Odin's request rush off to aid in the unknown conflict so far into Asgard's defenses. He smiled, only one left.

Loki burst from his room with his hand splayed in an arcane sign, and even as the startled guard wheeled around to face him, he chanted a quick word of power that sent the sentry into a deep sleep, causing him to collapse as if dead to the floor. Loki hastened to exit the castle, hoping his mother's distraction had pulled the guards away from the exit he had chosen to take. She was an annoying burden before, but her presence offered opportunity now. A giantess of colossal strength, Loki imagined she swung a hammer at the columns supporting the roof even now, causing a great racket and bringing guards from every direction in to defend the against an attack that could shake the very building.

Luck was with him, and no one stood ready to contest his departure. Once he had put some distance between himself and the castle, so that Odin would be less likely to sense the powerful transmutation, Loki shifted into a bird and flew quickly north towards a small cave that only he knew of, there to hide until his plans could see fruition...

------------------

*5 Months Later*

Loki started, wheeling around as he heard the door to his secret chamber burst open, the chalice he had been trying to divine in spilled over by his wild movement. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Thor kick the useless frame aside as he entered Loki's hide-away. How had he been found? No one knew of this place! A spell further protected the cave from scrying and the casual observer... somehow Thor had found him anyways.

''I want no conflict with you, Thor, just to be left in peace!''

Thor scowled at him as he advanced on the backpedaling Loki, ''I would indeed leave you in peace, if I thought you capable of such. Also, I am here by father's command to bring you back to Asgard.''

Loki's eyes widened in fear and his heart raced. Odin had somehow found him and wished him to return. Loki's hand reflexively shot to his rear, a twinge of remembered pain giving him a fright. ''I have no business with Odin or Asgard, tell him that he shall not see me again, you have only to leave me be!''

Thor shook his head, only a few arm's lengths from Loki now, ''I have my orders, you know well there is nothing you can say that will change my course.''

Loki ran quickly around a nearby table, kicking it over as Thor lunged after him, slowing the blond warrior a moment as he had to check his sudden movement. Loki chanted as fast as he could, his body fading from view as a spell of invisibility took hold.

This spell consumed diamonds to work, but was worth the cost to escape Thor and thusly Odin. Loki shuddered to think what his father might have planned for him, given the All-Father's recent fondness for corporal punishment.

Thor scanned the room as Loki quietly snuck back towards the door. Loki gasped in surprise as Thor leapt over and grabbed his arm, the spell of invisibility fading with the contact as Thor wrenched his arm around to secure him in place.

''Wha..?!''

Thor smiled as he bound his brother's hands with a short length of rope, ''The water you spilled upon the floor, you just walked through it. You put entirely too much stock in the power of your magic. A little honesty and responsibility is all it would have taken to spare you from what must now follow.''

Loki stuttered as Thor grabbed him around the waist, carrying him outside into the snow. This position scared him, especially given that it was Thor who once more held him so.

''Let me go! I planned no treachery, I was simply trying to be left alone!''

Thor ignored him, whipping his hammer over their heads before launching the two of them into the sky, bound for Asgard.

-------------

Loki could not keep his composure entirely and shuddered as he stood before Odin, both of his hands unconsciously balled into fists covering his backside.

Odin regarded him for a long time in silence, and Loki opened his mouth slightly a few times to speak, shutting it fearfully each time as he failed to come up with a suitable excuse to explain his previous actions. Loki had seen cracks in the columns of the main chambers as Thor had escorted him inside, and he worried that Odin had sensed his hand in this, but was hesitant as to what to say, lest he throw guilt upon himself that Odin might not be aware of. He licked his lips nervously instead.

After an unbearably long silence, Odin finally spoke. ''Proceed to your room, Loki, I fear my anger too great to deal with your foolishness now.'' Odin's eyes were hard as stone as he said this, causing Loki to tremble under that gaze.

Loki's voice sounded too subdued to his own ears, but he struggled to offer a strong protest anyways, ''I only wished to be left alone, I had no...''

''Go to your room!'' Odin's voice boomed through the halls and Loki jumped, finding himself hurrying to comply without thinking.

Loki scowled at the way this made him feel as he walked swiftly back towards his chambers, a guard following him and his eyes burning with anger and frustration even as a core of fear worked a knot into his stomach.

Once back inside his room he saw that a large force of guards had been placed outside his door, along with a robed figure he knew to be an sorceress. Odin took no chances this time, Loki would be heavily monitored lest he attempt to escape again. The knot in Loki's stomach twisted further as he realized he had no real chance of escaping his father's brooding wrath now.

He sat upon his bed, wringing his hands, a worried expression creasing his features. Odin would surely spank him again, perhaps even worse than last time. Loki did not feel he could bear a repeat of that sort of pain. He tried to think of a way he might talk Odin out of such punishment, but his heart knew how effective it must have seemed to the All-Father, and though he usually had an abundance of word-play available to protect himself, he was drawing a blank now, and that only fueled his anxiety further.

Overcome by frustration, Loki felt his eyes water and he threw himself upon his bed, burying his face into his pillow and screaming his rage as he kicked his feet against the downy blankets.

Hours passed and still Odin did not present himself. Loki would have thought that this would comfort him, but instead it bound that knot in his gut even tighter, and he found himself unable to do anything besides worry about what decisions such patient anger must yield unto Odin.

A night of fearful, fitful slumber full of nightmares of pain and humiliation left Loki tired and vexed, feeling as if his suffering could grow no worse.

He realized he was wrong when Odin finally did enter his room, his heart leaping into his mouth as the All-Father paused to scrutinize him as he sat cowering on the bed.

''You know why I am here Loki.''

Loki started. That had not been a question. Loki's heart sank, but he tried to feign ignorance anyways, ''I am here because you were too angry to share words with me before, I cannot help but be curious what reason you had to send Thor to fetch me when I was minding my own business.''

Loki saw anger rise in Odin's eyes and he flinched involuntarily, mental images of his father dashing forward to grab his wrist like back at the cell playing in his mind, sending his heart racing as he pulled his hands back. He wished he were standing and not sitting on the bed as he was, but he did not trust his shaky legs to rise, and Odin's glare nailed him in place.

Odin did not argue with him, though, which somehow made Loki even more anxious. Instead, the All-Father paced the room slowly, as if casually observing the morbid paintings Loki had placed upon his walls.

''Fine weather of late, don't you agree?''

Loki's face betrayed puzzlement at the change of topic. ''Why, yes, the clouds have seen fit to part with the rain for a time.'' He began to feel a small sliver of hope that perhaps Odin had re-thought immediate punishment. Perhaps the All-Father had considered his previous words, and wished to see Loki's side of things?

Odin glanced at him nonchalantly. ''Yes, one can see open skys for miles around.''

Loki felt a sudden heat in his face as sweat leaped upon his brow. He feared what Odin would say next.

''In fact, Loki, you could spy a bird from a great distance in this weather.''

The small hope he had clung to dashed to pieces, and Loki felt like crying over his horrible luck. Odin had spotted his bird, he was sure of it. He had not said it out-right yet, though, and Loki clutched his pillow tightly as he continued to feign innocence.

''Indeed.''

Loki saw Munin alight in his window, the black crow ruffling then preening his feathers, a sight that normally would not afford a second look, but which now sent chills down Loki's spine.

Odin shook his head as he gazed at Loki, his face disappointed. ''I had hoped you would at least admit your misdeeds under such obvious knowledge, Loki, but I see you cling to the path of the liar. You know in your heart I am certain what must come next.''

Loki knew. He leaped out of bed, his mind still haunted by thoughts of Odin grabbing him, but the All-Father made no move to restrain him, which was somehow worse.

Odin stood before the only exit, and his father's magic was far greater than his own. He was trapped. There was no need to confine his movements, he had nowhere to go.

Loki felt a drop of sweat run down his face, becoming conscious of how much he sweated as his worry grew. ''I did not mean offense by leaving before, I merely wish to separate myself from Asgard. If you worry that I will enact treachery upon this city, I will agree to a blood ritual to banish myself from the confines of this place forever. I shall be unable to enter here to cause you any trouble... do you agree to this?''

Loki would never have thought to suggest such a course of action before, but he was terrified of Odin laying hand to him once more, to the point where his fear outran reason. As much as he wanted to be a part of Asgard, he would risk giving it up for eternity to avoid the pain and humiliation of such punishment. Besides, everyone here could not think less of him after Thor's public spanking of him. The heat in his face increased as he felt himself flush at the thought of that shameful performance.

Odin put his hands behind he back as he gave Loki a tired look, ''Were you to follow through on that bargain, you have already shown that you are willing to use others to harass Asgard...''

Odin reached into a pocket and drew out small yellow scroll which Loki recognized immediately as his missive to Jotenheim. Loki felt his heart beat furiously in his chest as Odin held it aloft so there could be no doubt of what it was. ''... it vexes me that you continue to pretend this does not exist, or that you did not incite your mother into damaging my castle, endangering everyone inside it simply so that you could flee my order for you to stay in your room.''

Odin returned the scroll to his pocket as he glared at his errant son. ''Even besides that blatant fact which you so dubiously ignore, I have told you before; I am your guardian, you shall stay within my sight so that I may better set you onto a more righteous path. You are my responsibility to correct.''

Loki stamped his foot as he summoned his anger, his face twisting in outrage, ''I do not wish for you to be my guardian! Even if you were such, every man must leave his father's house when he comes of age! You have no right to imprison me so, I matured to adulthood centuries ago!''

Odin's hands balled into fists and his face became hard, the sight quenching Loki's anger as he cringed back, the thought that now was when Odin would lunge for him to administer discipline sobering him.

''I am Odin the All-Father, I am guardian to all of creation! It takes more than age to make a man, all I see before me is a spoiled child who needed to have spent more time over my knee, a problem that can still be corrected!''

Odin sat down upon Loki's bed and crooked a finger imperiously at the trickster. There could be no doubt what he was silently commanding.

Loki felt tears well up into his eyes as his panic rose, and his mind worked furiously to overcome this impossible situation, ''I hope you mean to simply spank me this time, and not to send me to the room with no doors, how I dread that place!''

It sounded lame even as he said it, and Odin only confirmed that such a simple ploy would not work as he replied. ''Very well, a spanking it shall be instead, I shall simply add to what you had coming to make up for the difference.''

The tears threatened to flow as Loki felt the crushing hand of despair.

''Wait! I was lying! I was trying to fool you, I shall admit it, only please do not increase my punishment!''

Odin looked as surprised as Loki that the trickster had openly admitted even such a small lie, and he nodded curtly, a small smile touching his lips.

''I knew this was so, and am annoyed that you would think to test me so. However, I am pleased that you have decided to confess your lie, even if you only did so out of fear. I shall not add the extra punishment as reward for your progress.''

''Now come, as I said before, you know what comes next. Accepting discipline is a step I would see you take, or I will have to correct you on that point as well.''

Loki's lip quivered as he shuffled his feet nervously, his mind still racing, still seeking a way away from this horrible turn of events. ''I.. I...''

Odin frowned at him, his voice booming with authority, ''Silence! Come. Now.'' Odin patted his right leg, removing any doubt as to where Loki was to go.

Loki's voice hitched as he snapped his mouth shut, his protests dying on his lips. The trickster felt lower than he ever had before being forced to accept punishment like this, but he feared what would happen if he failed to comply more than he had ever feared anything in his long life.

The trickster burned with rage over being made to submit in such a fashion and gritted his teeth in humiliation, but still inched toward Odin, closing the last few steps quickly as he saw annoyance cross into his father's features.

Loki threw himself over Odin's lap and whimpered with shame and fear as he resigned himself to the spanking, closing his eyes and feeling the tears run twin tracks down his cheeks. He could not help but try one last effort at staying Odin's hand, as uncomfortably aware as he was how easily Odin could now swat him. ''This has no effect on the mind of a man, you must realize, your last attempt at such brutish punishment pained me but could have no lasting effect on my way of thought... you cannot brainwash me so easily!''

Odin quickly raised his hand where Loki could see it and the trickster god flinched, ''Oh? It would seem that simply threatening you with a spanking has effect on you. Even if it is only out of fear of the consequences of your actions, I see that you can be given simple reason to rethink your mischief.''

Loki sobbed at this, He could not argue with Odin. He could see in the All-Father's eyes that there was no avoiding his humiliating punishment.

''Very well, take your pleasure in shaming me, Odin, only please tell me how many times I am to be hit before this is... ah!'' Loki lost his line of thought as Odin pulled his pants down, exposing his rear and making it clear that his pants will not be muffling the pain of his spanking.

''...please?''

Odin shook his head as he swatted Loki, the latter bucking forward from the sudden pain, feeling that there was simply no way to prepare for the sharp sting. ''I will tell you how many we have left towards the end, as I did last time, but if you wish to reduce your punishment, I will allow you one chance.''

Loki's heart leaped for joy even as he cried out in pain from another slap. ''Yes! Anything you wish, father!'' He wished only for it to be over. Only two swats and already he began to feel like he could take no more. Loki felt Odin struck him harder this time, and he shook with fear to think what a lengthy spanking would entail for him. Perhaps if he played along with whatever Odin asked of him he could reduce this punishment to a more bearable level.

Odin regarded him levelly as he laid another swat on Loki's backside, his hand starting to make red prints on both cheeks, ''I will slap you one less time for each of the many offenses that your brother listed off to you, the ones he punished you for. Name enough of them, and this spanking will be considerably less severe. I want to know that you realize what it was you were disciplined for.''

Loki yelped as Odin's hand came down again and he raced to begin naming what he remembered Thor saying, ''He mentioned my subjugation of him before Asgard, and his imprisonment...''

Loki searched his memory for what else Thor had said beyond the events of that day, but he realized that he had not been paying attention to Thor's words, his attention on the pain and the jeering crowd, the months that have passed obscuring his memory.

Loki bucked at another hard slap, the pain making it harder to concentrate, and he began to sweat again nervously as he drew a mental blank.

Odin sighed at him and shook his head as he landed another swat that made Loki cry out loudly, his legs twitching up into the air, ''That is but two and already you hesitate, do not tell me that you forget why you were publicly humiliated so quickly?''

Loki felt a new cord of panic wind itself within him. He jumped as Odin slapped his reddening ass again, the pain reminding him of how long Thor had spanked him the day before. Obviously by Odin's words, the punishment he was to receive now was going to be longer than even that shameful event, and the bitter irony was that he could have prevented it if he had but listened better to Thor's words.

Loki searched his mind hard as Odin struck him, trying to fight through the pain to think.

''He... he mentioned something about the thunderstorm incident...'''

Odin gripped Loki tightly and secured his legs, knowing that this was going to end up being quite the endeavor since Loki seemed to not have caught on at all from the previous spanking.

Perhaps Thor was the wrong person to administer this discipline, after all. It typically fell to the father to deal out corporal punishment, maybe this was the only way Loki would learn.

''Three and you yet falter, your chance is past, I listened at the window as Thor listed your sins against him. A very long list, but you paid no heed, and now you shall regret that.''

When Odin moved to secure Loki more tightly the trickster panicked completely, but his wild struggles to free himself were pointless against Odin's strength. His eyes bulged in horror when Odin trapped his squirming legs, each slap applied thereafter somehow feeling as if it hurt more now that he could not move.

He screamed helplessly into his sheets before he could regain enough composure to speak, ''How am I to remember every event that Thor deems a transgression? I admit that my focus was on the spanking and not on his words, please you must understand that I was under duress, and cannot be called to account for not remembering his every word!''

Odin increased the tempo of his slaps, his hand becoming a blur that continued to mark Loki's heated rear, almost the whole of it's surface a red welt now. Loki wriggled about in Odin's grip as he screamed out his pain in strangled gasps.

''If you bothered to accept accountability for your actions, or to consider others long enough to realize when you are being selfish, you would not have needed his words to remember your misdeeds! You were not simply distracted either, Loki, you did not hear Thor's words because you chose not to hear them, even while being punished you did not wish to accept responsibility. No matter, you will learn it with me; my arm shall not tire.''

Loki grew desperate as his pain grew, and he writhed even more than the pain he felt called for, putting on a great show of yelling himself hoarse, trying to convince Odin that he was well past his limits. ''Please, father! I have learned! Only release me!''

Odin grunted at him, ''Foolish child, you still try to deceive me? I am your father, I know better, besides having felt out your capacity for pain the last time I applied my hand to your scheming rear.'' Odin began to go yet faster, driving Loki's yells to truly match his pain.

The increase in speed was more than Loki could take and he writhed about in a frenzy of pain, yelling at the top of his lungs but unable to do anything to stop his torment. That knowledge in itself drove him mad. He begged for Odin to stop, ''Please! No more!'' but his father ignored his pleas.

Loki felt defeated once again, like he was being pushed into whatever direction the All-Father wished for him, and this fact scared him, shamed him, and made him shake with fury even as Odin's hand drove home. ''I hate you! I do not deserve such awful treatment! All I have ever done I did to try to gain your notice, your respect, a good word from you, and you give me this! I disown you!'' Loki's voice cracked as he shrieked this, his body contorting as each slap rained down.

Odin nodded slowly as he continued to swat Loki's shuddering form, ''You are telling me the truth of how you feel, for that I thank you, Loki. But you must understand that how you feel and how things are are not always the same. You have built a wall around your mind, believing that what you think you perceive is always the truth. Sometimes things are more complicated than one of even your intelligence can immediately understand. I know that I have seemed cold to you, but I swear it has been for good reason. I am the All-Father, Loki, I am privy to knowledge that might shatter your mind. I do what I do for your sake and that of Asgard. I promise that I wish you well, and while you may not yet understand, even this I do out of love for you. For you do deserve this, of that you must be convinced this day, if I have to tan your backside all night, so be it.''

Loki trembled all over, partly due to the rough treatment of his sensitive cheeks and his panicked frustration over being held down, but also due to Odin's words. The All-Father had told him he loved him twice now. Loki felt the tears flow more freely along his face but he stuffed the rising feeling down, choking on his own bitterness. Odin only told him such when spanking him, to placate him, the All-Father still wanted him to confess to what the others all regarded as his crimes, Thor had insisted that the actions he had taken were his own choice, but they did not understand... but perhaps Odin did. ''You as All-Father are aware of how I am trapped in the cycle of fate! You know that it is forces outside of my control that have forged me!'' Loki shrieked as a painful slap made him cringe.

Odin's eyes narrowed as he delivered another slap in the same place as the one before, causing Loki to yelp loudly. ''You have seen the wheel of fate, but you do not understand it. I cannot hope to explain it to you, as I have only come to my own deductions after centuries of thought and personal sacrifice that you could not imagine and now know that that knowledge is not for everyone. However I can tell you that your brother's words were wise in this, you choose your own fate, and therefore you enjoy the fruits of your good deeds, and, as now, you reap the consequences of your evil ones. This spanking was brought unto you by no one save yourself. You are going to repeat that back to me right now.''

Odin's voice commanded. Loki shook with rage as he screamed and bucked wildly from each slap, Odin seemed to be focusing on one area each time, and the pain doubled upon itself to excruciating levels. His father wanted him to say this thing, and would spank him until he did. Loki bit his tongue, hating the shameful situation that made him want to comply with such a thing.

He knew he would have to say it, and that knowledge made him whimper in uncontrolled outrage as he made a stand as best he could even though he knew it was hopeless, ''No!'' He felt childish even as he blurted it out, but some stubborn part of him still fought on despite the growing pain. Loki felt that portion of his self slipping behind the haze of his agony, however, and knowing this caused him to weep in defeat.

Odin increased the speed of the spanking yet further, striking that same area yet harder, and Loki howled as he arched his back in pain, his body wracked with spasms and twitching in the throes of pain he was incapable of withstanding.

''You will say it, or you will continue to find out how merciful I have been thus far.''

Odin's face was set in stone, and Loki felt the knot of fear in his stomach, the one that never quite left, tie itself into a much larger knot. He had expected that the spanking had reached it's worse. He had been very wrong. And Odin's threats that there was more pain to be had terrified him. He blubbered out the words Odin wished him to speak, feeling crushed that once more the All-Father had forced his hand against his will, once more made him an agreeable weeping child.

''This spanking was brought unto me by my own hand!'' Loki went limp as he said this in defeat, his body still twitching and jerking from the punishment, but his efforts to squirm aside of Odin's hand abandoned as he gave up and resorted to howling sobs of pain and misery.

Odin relaxed the pace a bit, switching cheeks once more so that Loki might draw breath against his pain, ''Good, now with this in mind, for the sake of your tender burning arse, why not recount to me your misdeeds so as to cut the rest of this spanking short for your own sake?'' Loki yelped as a slap landed on an especially sensitive area.

Loki wanted this to end very badly, and suddenly found himself recalling a flood of things he had done to Thor past that might be seen as less than honorable. He quickly related each instance to his father, hitching his breath occasionally for air or to yell out a particularly painful slap.

His voice wavered as he spoke as fast as he could, sounding very small and meek to his own ears, a fact that made his face burn with shame, but he continued nonetheless. Anything to stop this suffering.

Odin cocked an ear as he listened, nodding to each statement as he continued to swat Loki's heated buttocks, the latter shuddering mightily from the effort of not crying out with each slap so that he might continue to speak.

After Loki had given him an extensive list, much larger in fact than even the one Thor had presented, and yet still flowed on to say more, Odin stopped swatting Loki's rear, causing the trickster's breath to catch as he craned to look back at his father hopefully, tears still flowing from eyes that looked beaten.

Odin maintained his hold on the trickster god, and slowly unbuckled his belt, an action that caused Loki's face to drop as his bottom lip quivered, ''Y-you mean to continue? I have more I can tell you....please...'' His whining voice sounded pathetic, and Loki hated himself for it.

Odin nodded to Loki, his eyes not totally devoid of compassion even as he drew the belt off of his waist and folded it in his hand. Loki's eyes followed the movement, Odin felt him trembling in fear, and he felt pity for Loki. This needed to be done, though.

''We near the end of this discipline, and as I promised before, I shall now tell you that you have twenty hard slaps with my belt before we are through.''

Loki shook like a leaf now, tears pouring from eyes reddened from crying, ''P-please... have mercy... I will tell you every sin I have ever committed, I will do anything you want, only do not apply such harsh force to my already great pain.''

Odin shook his head, ''You have come as far as you have now because of pain and the threat of pain. I must spank you with the belt now because it will hurt more, so that you do not again so easily forget your punishment.''

Loki scrambled to get away futilely and whimpered and blubbered protest as Odin raised the belt, his face a picture of panic.

''No! ...please!''

The belt came down on Loki's clenched cheek and he screamed loudly, only having enough time to draw air before screaming again as the belt fell once more. His back arched after each swat and his voice gave out from yelling, his mouth still opening wide each time in a silent scream of agony.

After Ten slaps Loki felt he would break, that his mind and body would shatter from the pain.

After twelve he felt that the next eight were a hurdle he could not cross with his sanity yet intact.

After fifteen, he went limp, his body so exhausted from the strain of his struggles that he could only shudder involuntarily and sob as the last five drove home.

Odin tenderly placed the weeping Loki onto the bed once through, and drew his belt around himself once more as he observed the shivering figure of his errant son, Loki having taken to hiding his face in a pillow, his whimpers of misery audible even so.

''You are to stay in your room. I trust you will obey me this time. We shall speak on the morrow.'' With that Odin turned and left, leaving Loki feeling broken in many ways. The trickster still felt himself listing off offenses in his own mind, even though he no longer had need for it.

He stopped this line of frenzied thought and pulled himself into a ball on his bed as he cried, hating how this was the second time Odin had shoved this feeling onto him. A hard thought occurred to him that perhaps he needed to change something so that this never happened again.


	4. A slight reminder

Loki looked left and right before he walked into the courtyard. He was not sure when he had developed this habit, but if he studied it at all he would realize that he was making sure that Thor was nowhere around.

A subconscious desire to avoid trouble that he had managed to hone over the last year since his father had disciplined him in a most embarrassing fashion. Loki walked briskly across the grass, passing the community fountain on his way to the nearby library.

He would not be in Asgard at all if it was not for his need of a tome found only here for his research. Loki scratched at stubble upon his chin. He had become immersed in his studies, finding it an easy way to avoid allowing himself to dwell too long on his hatred of his half-brother and the sadness of his lot in life...

''Well, well, look what crawled out from under the rocks!'' The familiar voice made Loki jump, for he knew it to be Fandral. And if Fandral was there... Loki turned quickly to look behind him.

Sure enough, the other two members of the warrior's three plus Thor stood with him, appraising Loki. Loki burned with immediate anger to see how happy his brother was, relaxed among his friends. ''I wonder what mischief will befall Asgard now, for the sight of Loki certainly portends calamity!''

Loki's brow drew down in a scowl, and Volstagg playfully elbowed the smiling Fandral. ''Nay, Fandral, perhaps your jest is ill timed.'' Volstagg smiled at Loki as he took him under his arm. ''It has been some time since any mischief has come from our trickster, in fact, we rarely see him these days!'' Loki hated that Volstagg touched him, and pushed at the rotund warrior to disengage his grip, thinking Volstagg needed bathing.

Hogun crossed his arms over his chest, his glare making Loki's rising anger soar higher. ''Nay, Volstagg, he likely hides to better conceal his doings, I am more prone to believe he has become better at being under-handed than that he has sought reform.''

Loki clenched his teeth at the remark, his gaze flitting to his brother, who stood quiet, only watching. Likely agreeing with Hogun, to be certain. He wanted to lash out at them all, to tell them how simple they really were, but something checked him, and he simply ground his teeth instead.

''I must be going, it has been a pleasure as always...'' Loki's words were pleasant enough, but his eyes shot fire, his voice dripping venom. He wheeled imperiously around, turning his back to the four, and hurried to depart before he could say anything that might raise Thor's... or worse, Odin's, ire.

In typical Asgardian tradition, Fandral cupped his hands to his mouth and made chicken sounds as Loki retreated from the confrontation. Loki clenched his fists but continued walking, doing his best to look as if he had not heard the taunt.

Fandral did not realize how merciful Loki was being. Loki could think circles around all of them, and if he wanted, he could reduce Fandral to a puddle with scathing retorts. He did not because he was a changed man, he would not stoop to their childish games. Deep down, Loki's heart told him he would not argue because he was afraid, but Loki did his best to ignore that feeling.

Loki ducked behind a pillar and peeked around it to watch the four leave. Another benefit of not arguing publicly... those involved would be less likely to pin blame on Loki if something... unfortunate were to befall Fandral.

The thought of getting caught made Loki want to turn around, to try and forget revenge, but he heard laughter from the four, saw how Fandral clapped Thor on the back and the two shared a jovial smile. Surely laughing at his expense. Loki's fingers dug tracks across the stone pillar as he ground his teeth. Yes, he would play a little prank on Fandral, something to draw them even. There was nothing wrong with making things even, was there?

Loki followed the four as they made their way out of the city proper, looking back over his shoulder often, worry creasing his brow. His heart raced, even though he had stalked Thor thousands of times in the past, now he found himself anxious as never before. His thoughts continued to stray to his father and the punishment he must surely face if he was caught in the act, and even after all this time, Loki found himself very paranoid of this.

Loki observed that Thor and the warriors three had made their way into the forest. Once himself under the shade of those trees Loki felt a little better, unconsciously relaxing now that he was out of the potential gaze of Odin and other Asgardians.

They walked for some time, Loki's tread becoming more sure with each step, his resolve more finite as they approached areas where no Asgardian claimed land. He watched as the four he followed stripped themselves of clothes and descended into a nearby stream to bathe.

Good, thought Loki. Volstagg certainly needs a bath. He averted his eyes at the sight of the voluminous one in all his naked glory. Loki stifled a retch, not wanting to alert the others of his presence.

As the others bathed Loki looked around casually, trying to think of what he was going to do to draw even with Fandral the hyena. His eyes caught upon Fandral's discarded sword, laying in the grass unwatched mere feet from where Loki hid.

Loki glanced nervously around, double-checking that the four were too preoccupied to look his way, then he crawled with more stealth than necessary to the weapon, scurrying back once it was in his hands. Couldn't be too careful...

Loki turned the weapon over, inspecting it. It was of fine make, likely a gift from Odin for one of Fandral's many exploits. Loki clenched his teeth at the thought of Odin lavishing gifts on the unworthy Fandral.

He drew the blade, noting the sheen of highly polished metal and feeling the weight of the weapon as perfectly balanced. He smiled to himself as he muttered an incantation over the blade, waving his hand in complex patterns above the weapon. A soft glow surrounded it and the metal blade turned into a wooden one, Loki's alchemy changing it's nature.

Loki snickered as he thought of what might happen when Fandral went to draw his weapon and instead found a practice sword. Loki lost his smile when he thought of how many times he had been caught by staying nearby to observe his own mischief.

No. He must be more careful now, it wasn't worth the risk. Loki settled himself to the idea of merely listening to the tale of Fandral's failed wooden sword later. Yes, he would indeed draw satisfaction from this.

Loki once more crawled the weapon back to where it was, careful to lay it as he had found it, and whispering a spell to cover trace of his presence from the ground. He crawled away as fast as he could while taking pains to be silent, his heart thudding in his chest.

It would be his luck to be caught now, this was where fate usually landed him a blow. But no one contested his retreat, and Loki observed the four still bathing, chatting among themselves. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped sweat from his brow.

Loki hurried from the woods, smiling to himself. He had done it! No one had seen him, and he had not given the others sound reason to suspect his motives against Fandral. For once, Loki was going to get away with it! His heart soared as he changed himself into a bird, flying toward Asgard, intent on returning to the library as if he had never left. He would be sure to let the staff there see him, to better compound his alibi...

Later that night Loki wrung his hands as he sat in his room. He found himself worried again. No word from anyone about Fandral's sword. He did not know if the prank had actually had any effect. Fandral might have removed his sword from it's sheath simply to clean it and discovered it's changed nature, He would be angry over his destroyed weapon, of course, but Loki wished him to suffer more than that simple inconvenience.

Loki's heart whispered to him that he was afraid he had been found out, but he ignored this voice. There was no proof that Loki had been involved. Anyone could have tampered with the weapon.

The sound of shouts below his room window made Loki jump, worry creasing his features, but when he walked over to look down, he saw it was merely the revelry of a few Asgardian warriors headed into the nearby great hall. Loki decided it might be best to apply himself to finding out what had befallen Fandral and his stick.

He made his way to the great hall, noting that there were more present this evening than usual. Everyone feasted around great tables as servants brought plates heaping with fresh meat, fruit and vegetables to the hungry warriors gathered. Mead was also abundant, a mug or two in every person's hand. At the head of the longest table sat Odin in his giant chair of bronze, his wife seated to his right on a chair of gold.

Loki saw that Thor and the warriors three were seated at that table and averted his eyes, not wanting to draw attention to the fact that he was surprised at the sight of them. They were drinking and making merry! Fandral seemed to not even care that his sword had been destroyed, feasting and drinking with all the rest as if today was better and not worse than yesterday. Loki fumed inwardly, and his fists balled, but he did his best to look uncaring as he seated himself in a shaded corner, nursing a beer as he stared hatefully at the others.

Fandral smiled and winked at his close companions as he leaped onto the table, drawing the eyes of everyone in the room. He spread his arms out to each side, commanding silence as he smiled broadly at all of those around him. ''Mighty warriors of Asgard, Fandral of the warriors three brings you another tale of glory and heroism!'' All present cheered mightily, slamming feet and mugs before growing silent, a hushed stillness marking all who listened intently.

Loki found himself leaning forward as well, needing to know what had happened. Perhaps the others had fought, and Fandral had simply not drawn his weapon? That was unlike Fandral, but if the enemy had been dispatched quickly... even faster than the quick Fandral could respond? Loki felt uneasy... perhaps this was why Fandral told the tale?

Usually the one who acted least played the part of bard. Loki relaxed a little at this thought. Yes, it would make the most sense that for whatever reason, Fandral still has yet to draw his weapon. Loki fought back a sudden grin. What if he drew his weapon at the height of his story? Oh what a travesty when all beheld his child's weapon waving above his head! Perhaps those present would laugh at Fandral before he even realized why... Loki could only hope.

Loki snapped out of his own thoughts as Fandral finished a long drought of ale and began his story, starting with how a group of ogres had ambushed himself, Thor, Hogun, and Volstagg while they patrolled the wild lands earlier that day. He waved his arms and his voice lowered and rose as he smilingly portrayed the valiance of each of them as the great beast-men had lunged out of hiding. Loki strained forward as Fandral mentioned the actions of each hero in turn, but omitted himself. Why? Loki felt a cord of worry knead itself within him. This was unlike Fandral, he was typically quick to boast, arrogant as he was. Something was wrong...

At last as Fandral drew the story to a close, dancing around the table overturning plates and cups as he excitedly mimed the actions of Thor swinging his hammer, Volstagg stood addressing those attending. ''Oh, but in his modesty, Fandral omits his own actions! I, Valstagg the Great, shall tell his tale of valor as is his right!'' Loki's fingers clutched the table before him.

Tale of valor? How?! He was carrying a stick as a weapon! Loki leaned further forward as he listened, his mouth a tight line. ''Even as the ogres leaped out of their dark places, our hero Fandral drew his sword, lightning fast, the ring of steel filling the air as he laughed at the frothing monsters!''

Loki nearly fell out of his seat. He looked left and right, but no one seemed to pay heed to his surprise. A good thing he sat so far back in the shadows, he thought. As Volstagg went on to describe how Fandral had leaped into battle, sword cutting into his enemies, Loki felt his jaw drop in stupid disbelief. How? Volstagg was prone to exaggeration... perhaps he had taken to lying out-right? Thor made no move to correct him though, and if the blond-haired warrior had been there, he would certainly not allow Volstagg to speak such direct falsehood. As if to prove that the sword Volstagg spoke of was indeed true, Fandral whipped it from the sheath at his hip, waving it about to the pleased cheers of their on-lookers.

Loki ground his teeth in rage. How dare they steal his day! Surely the others must have fooled Thor into thinking what Volstagg now said was truth, because it certainly could not be so! They were lying, turning what must have been a horrible failure into a tale of valor, and these sheep were believing them! Loki fumed as Volstagg's embellished story wore on, making Fandral more the hero with each word. Finally Loki could take no more, rising from his seat and slamming his fist into the table as he realized how he could unravel their deception. There was only one trickster in Asgard!

All eyes turned to Loki at the sound of his impassioned outburst, and Loki did his best to portray righteous wrath as he pointed an accusing finger at Fandral. ''If this story is true, Fandral, why is it that the sword you now wield is not the one that Odin gifted to you? Were you not carrying that sword this morning?''

Fandral's eyes shot to the blade he carried then to Loki as he flippantly replied. ''Ah! Good eyes, trickster! That sword was notched in battle and now lies in my room awaiting repair. The sword I carry now is simply to provide me defense until that time. Why do you suddenly doubt the honesty of our noble Volstagg, villain, that you would say such things, interrupting his great tale?''

Valstagg's face was dark with anger, as were those of everyone else present. It was unwise to challenge a story without proof. Loki knew the sword did not lay within Fandral's room, but he would have no reason to know that without giving away what he had done earlier that evening to those listening. Loki felt sweat bead on his forehead. He had acted impatiently, and Fandral had made him the villain. ''I-I beg your pardon, Volstagg, it is un-well of me to doubt your character, I have had too much ale and was not thinking.'' Loki sat back down sheepishly, shamed and fuming inwardly that Fandral had so easily turned things against him.

When the reproachful stares had receded from him and Volstagg began once more to recite his tale, Loki slipped quietly from the hall, shaking with anger over the events that had just transpired.

Loki froze as Thor hailed him. ''Wait, brother, why so quick to leave? Volstagg still tells his tale and the night is yet young.''

Loki turned to see Thor and Hogun had followed him out. Why? ''I have had too much to drink, as I stated earlier, I was thinking to retire and sleep it off. I bid you good night.''

Before Loki could turn to leave, Thor faced Hogun with a question, ''Hogun, is it not amazing that Loki knew the sword Fandral wielded was not the one he had earlier today?''

Loki felt sweat bead on his forehead as Hogun replied. ''Why, yes, Thor, it is. That sword was a perfect replica of the one he had upon his hip this morning, it must be very keen eyes that Loki is blessed with.''

Loki licked his lips before replying, ''I have ever had an gift for sharp vision, there were minute differences in the blade.'' Loki sprung upon an idea that might flush Fandral's deception to the light before Thor. ''Perhaps if we retrieve Fandral's sword from his room I could show you what is different between them?''

Thor waved his hand dismissively. ''There shall be no need for verification, we would have no reason to doubt you in this, would we, Loki?'' Loki felt his heart slow down to a more normal rate.

''Except...'' began Hogun ''that it was Fandral who made the chicken of you earlier this day, and you boldly accused Fandral of not possessing Odin's gift...''

Thor regarded Hogun as if surprised, ''But Hogun, was that gifting not yet public? If memory serves me, only myself, you, and Fandral were there for the actual gifting of it, as Odin meant to reveal the reason for his present at a later time?''

Hogun nodded, and Loki felt his heart sink. ''I had only guessed it to be such...''

Hogun took a step forward and Loki took one back. ''You know as everyone in Asgard that it is unheard of for Odin to make such a gift in private. I was surprised by it at the time, when he asked us to remain silent on it. No, you assumed, correctly, that it was a magical blade when you handled it this morning.''

Loki sputtered, his heart leaping into his throat. ''I did not handle the blade this morning, I was at the library! The librarian there can attest to you that I was there the entire morning and much of the afternoon.''

Hogun shook his head at Loki. ''I am certain if I were to question the librarian that he would tell me he had seen you, but I know when I ask that his answer to whether he watched you vigilantly for the entire frame of time will most certainly be 'no'.''

Loki spat angrily at the two of them. ''You assume! You have already sentenced me guilty before even checking! I tell you, I did not touch Fandral's blade, I merely noted it's fine workmanship when he was waving it about in the hall!''

Thor shook his head at this. ''A perfect replica it was, but dull, unpolished and without magic. A toddler of Asgard would know it was not of Odin. Your lies only further prove your guilt. No matter, we shall take your case before Odin, and you can plea your innocence there, as per the usual. He will be the judge of your words and actions.''

Loki started, his eyes wide. ''No! ...alright. I did it. I played a prank upon Fandral, a harmless joke. I will gladly return his sword to it's original form, as it was not my intent to leave it so. Only a prank, you see?''

Both Thor and even the normally impassive Hogun looked surprised at Loki's admission to guilt, Thor's jaw dropping down as Hogun unfolded his arms in amazement. Hogun regained composure first, his brow drawing down in anger. ''A jest?! You are of Asgard! You know we do not play foolish games with weapons here!'' Hogun took a few steps forward, Loki backpedaling as he advanced with clenched fists raised.

Thor interjected, holding a hand in a attempt to pacify the large darker man. ''Loki, our weapons are our lives, to strip Fandral in such a way put his life in peril, as well as anyone who depended on his steel for protection. This is a most grave offense that Odin will need to weigh.''

Loki dropped to his knees, further surprising both warriors, as he pitifully clutched Thor's tunic in both hands, his eyes pleading. ''Please, brother, judge and sentence me here! You are a prince of Asgard, and I feel shame for my thoughtless prank.''

Thor was stunned a moment, but shook his head slowly. ''Nay, Loki, you are also a prince, we must follow law and take this before our lord Odin.'' Hogun seemed bewildered by Loki's actions, and the trickster burned with shame to be on his knees like this, begging. It was worth it if he could avoid Odin knowing of his treachery, though. Loki shuddered to think of what would happen if he did.

''Please, brother! I cannot wait, I feel horrible for my actions, and wish only that you strike me in punishment for my deed!'' Loki felt tears of fear and shame run down his face distantly, his whole focus on trying to persuade Thor. He certainly did not want this begging to come to nothing! The idea that he could beg like this and still end up over Odin's knee lent passion to his voice.

Hogun spoke next. ''You should most certainly bring him before Odin, I must assume the only reason he acts so is to avoid whatever punishment he knows Odin will serve his treachery.''

Loki trembled with terror as Thor replied. ''Perhaps this is so, in any case, I must observe the law. Come, Loki.''

Loki shrieked in fear as he tightened his grip on Thor's tunic, his knuckles turning white. ''No! Please! I ask you grant me this one request, I shall never ask anything of you again! Please, brother!''

Thor's face betrayed irritation. ''Your actions lend weight to Hogan's words, trickster, we must go now. Others are gathering, do not make a scene and shame yourself further.'' Thor pulled on Loki's arm but the god of mischief fought him, dragging lines in the dirt as he sought to leap free of Thor. Thor let out a grunt of annoyance and grabbed Loki about the waist, lifting him in a manner becoming entirely too common between them. Loki squealed as Thor walked him back towards the hall where Odin yet feasted, Hogun shaking his head in disgust at Loki's flailing attempts to free himself from Thor's iron grip.

''No! Noooo! Let me go!''

Thor sighed. ''I wish only that this did not have to become the way we traveled most together, brother. I fondly hope for the day when you will walk as a man upon your own two feet.''

Valstagg's tale seemed to have come to an end just as Thor re-entered the hall with Loki under his arm, Hogun trailing behind them. Loki blushed at all of the faces peering quizzically at him dangling from Thor's brawny arm. Thor addressed Odin after approaching his great seat and nodding respectfully to both his lord and his mistress. ''Father, it is time we revealed to you and all here that Valstagg's tale was in fact a ruse.'' This sent a murmur through the crowd. Thor turned to address the Asgardian public as well. ''We apologize for any discontent caused by the false tale, but felt it was needed in order to trap Loki in his own lies.''

Loki gazed around the room, waiting for the populace to rise up in protest for the dishonesty, to yell angrily at Thor for his abuse of thier ancient ways. But not one soul stood to challenge him. In fact, several nodded thier approval, and Loki heard comments as to the clever strategy of calling out the trickster in such a way.

Loki's blood boiled in anger; why should they forgive Thor's lies so easily? Condone them even? Loki would never have received such treatment for his own lies, yet another way he was treated unfairly. ''You mean you all hear him admit his crimes against you, leading you on in such a way, and you praise him for it?'' Many angry eyes turned to Loki. No one said anything in reply, but Loki heard the message loud and clear, closing his mouth with a snap and feeling very aware of his vulnerable and humiliating position under Thor's arm.

Odin rose from his chair to speak, all growing quiet as all eyes moved to his enormous frame. ''I was aware of your deception, and found it interesting to see how you and the others had decided to bring Loki's treachery to light.''

Loki's eyes bulged. Aware? Odin had been aware all along? Surely Loki's earlier thoughts that he had gotten away with it had been foolish. Fate never played kind to Loki. ''And you said nothing, father? Why would you allow them to deceive the people so?''

Odin gave Loki a withering glare, and Loki felt two inches tall. ''Because I knew their intentions to be pure, and that the charade would not last long before Thor brought the truth to light. I am curious, how have you now trapped Loki within his own web?''

Thor turned back to regard Odin after placing Loki upon the floor, where the trickster sat cross-legged, his arms crossed over his chest, a peeved look on his face. ''Loki claimed that he had recognized the sword Fandral now wields to be a gift from you by it's work, in an attempt to deny our allegations that he knew this from examining the real sword earlier this morning. The real sword of which was destroyed when Fandral tried to quickly parry an attack from an ambush this afternoon only to realize the blade was unaccountably now made of wood. He might have fallen to an ogre today if not for his own fast reflexes.''

Fandral drew his blade and set it upon the table, so all within the hall could see that it's workmanship left much to be desired upon close inspection. He also pulled a sword from a nearby bag that was in two pieces and set it upon the table. This sword looked much like the other, only it's consistency was that of wood. A few grunts and nods filled the room, a number of Asgardians smiling at Loki. Loki knew that look. That was the 'your in for it now' look. Loki sneered, ''I said no such thing, they misconstrue what I spoke!'

Odin looked from Thor to Hogun, ''I assume you are also a witness to Loki's words, Hogun the Grim?''

Hogun nodded and Loki's face fell from anger to desperation. ''Father, it was a prank! A harmless jest!''

Odin closed his eyes and sighed, looking to Frigga a moment, whom nodded back to him, encouraging his course of action. ''Loki is declared guilty of tampering with an Asgardian's weaponry. I have given thought as to which way I shall punish Loki in this matter. I would like Loki to see what it is his people would like done about this grave matter. For all of those that would see him once again banished for a time, raise your hand now.''

Loki's brow furrowed in worry as he watched a few hands raise. Not many, and while he thought this should bring comfort, for some reason it only made him dread whatever other options Odin allowed more. ''This is unheard of! The common populace cannot decide the fate of a prince!''

Odin shut him up with another glare. ''You have no say in this. Be silent, or things will become worse for you.'' Loki began to sweat once more, his head swimming with his inability to affect his own fate at this point. ''Those that would like me to spank my son once more like the spoiled brat he is, raise your hand now.''

Loki looked out fearfully, his eyes widening in alarm at the sudden show of hands. As yet more of the audience raised their hands to the air Loki let out a smell whimper of dread. He had known it would come to this, his heart had been whispering such to him all along. Loki cursed himself for ignoring that voice.

''Very well, I shall apply strong discipline to my son.'' This brought a cheer from the crowd and Loki felt tears run down his face as he shook like a leaf, waiting for Thor or Odin to grab him up, paralyzed by the flow of events. He would punish him in the hall, so that all of Asgard will have seen such humiliation not once but twice... ''Thor, escort Loki to his room, see that he does not leave before I come to tan his hide. We shall return to our festivities now!'' Duel cheers for Loki getting his hide tanned and celebration went up.

Thor leaned in close to Loki and spoke in a low voice. ''You may stand and walk with me of your own accord, if you wish to retain some shred of dignity now.''

Loki nodded tearfully and stood, walking out with Thor close by, trying not to look as though he were trembling with each step. Loki's composure was shattered though, and he could not keep the worried look from his face as they walked, dreading Odin's intended punishment and seeing no way to escape it. All of Asgard had decided he deserved a spanking, it had been decreed, and all that remained now was a fearful wait as the others celebrated.

Loki paced back and forth for some time within the confines of his quarters, clenching and unclenching his fists, a worried look written on his face. He knew the night was yet young, and realized that the hours were going to stretch into eternities as he waited for his punishment. He continually glanced at the door, knowing Thor stood just beyond it, dutifully ensuring that Loki would not escape. ''Brother, do you not wish to finish the celebrations with the others? You could partake of mead and merriment instead of dully guarding my door, I promise to you I shall not leave.''

He heard Thor's deep voice respond through the door. ''Nay, Loki. Odin has commanded my course of action. I shall not budge until he arrives.''

Loki approached the door, his voice whining. ''Why must we both suffer so? Could we not go enjoy the festivities until such time as my sentence is carried out?'' Loki avoided mentioning the spanking directly, biting his lip at the shame of even indirectly speaking of it. ''Surely father would want you to enjoy the hour...''

Loki could almost see Thor shake his head. ''Nay, the command was to come here. I would not assume Odin's wishes, and if you are wise, neither will you.''

Loki's lip quivered as he responded. ''Why did no one stand against your deception before? If I had played such a ruse, my head would have been on a block! It is unfair for such different treatment between us.'' Loki felt tears of self-pity well in his eyes, safe as he was from Thor seeing his face.

Thor's voice was gentle as he spoke. He did not see the tears threatening Loki's face, but heard them in his voice. ''Our deception was as a fighters bluff to draw an opponent off-guard. Even honorable warriors use such feints in combat. Our willingness to dispel the illusion afterwards was the reason it was acceptable. We proved that we did not truly try to alter the opinions of the others with the tale when we admitted it false, and gave sound reason for the deception, something you have never done.''

Loki's voice turned petulant, ''You nor the others have ever punished me for my actions before I had the chance to bring them to light! I could have easily meant to shed light on my intentions.''

''But did you?''

Loki did not reply, and Thor felt a small smile creep onto his face. Loki would usually have lied in response without further thought. That the trickster said nothing was not an admission of guilt, but Thor could feel that Loki no longer saw reason to lie about his motivations to Thor, and that was progress.

''Thor, will you please put a good word to father for me? What I did before... I wished Fandral no real harm, this is the truth.''

A long silence filled the air, and Loki held his breath as he waited, feeling each beat of his own heart as if it were a great drum. ''I will tell Odin that I feel you may not have truly wished Fandral harm, but I sense he already knows this, and I warn you now not to get your hopes high. You will most certainly be punished regardless.''

Loki already knew this, but hearing Thor say it broke the dam in his eyes, hopeless tears flooding his face. He hated himself for being so affected by Odin's punishments. He knew the stronger warriors of Asgard... and they were all stronger... would laugh at his severe aversion to physical pain. ''Please say it anyway, in hopes that father will be more merciful when he applies himself to me...'' Loki strained to avoid sobbing his fear, not wanting Thor to hear such pathetic whimpers. Thor had offered him the chance to retain some dignity before, and Loki wished to hold onto it still, though he knew not how much he could keep once Odin had him once more over his knee.

Thor felt pity for Loki now, even though he knew he should step aside and let Odin correct his wayward brother, he felt compelled to offer Loki some compassion. After all, Loki had said please, and it sounded for once like he genuinely meant it. ''You have my word, Loki, that I shall try to temper his wrath. I am pleased that your attitude has seemed to have changed in regards to your accountability. You give me reason to be proud of you, brother.''

Loki's mouth dropped at Thor's words, and he found himself speechless. Thor, proud of him? Loki only nodded, even though he knew Thor could not see his response. Perhaps he could also convince Odin that he had had a change of heart? If so, would Odin lighten his punishment? Perhaps not, but it was hope, and Loki clung fervently to it. Yes, he really would change, and his commitment might convince Odin to go easy on him, all the more reason to start fresh. ''Thank you, Thor.''

Loki retired to his bed, thinking to try rest. At least if he slept, he would not worry so. But he found his fear was still strong enough to keep him awake, regardless of his new focus. So Loki lay there, his hands nervously kneading a fluffy pillow as he waited, counting off painfully slow minutes.

When the door to his room finally opened, Loki nearly leapt from his skin at the sound, clutching his pillow tightly to himself. Odin's large powerful frame filled the doorway and Loki felt himself tremble in anticipation as his father's cold gray eye seemed to pierce his soul, pinning him to the bed.

Odin dispensed with pleasantries this time. ''Loki, you know why I have come.''

Loki bowed his head, feeling shame flood him even though he was not yet over Odin's knee. ''Yes, father.''

Odin nodded at him. ''I am glad we can get to the point without any games this time. You have grown, Loki.''

Loki was torn between joy at a compliment from his father and fear of where he felt this was still headed. ''T-thank you. I wish to retain what little honor might still left me... do you think perhaps we can simply speak this time?''

Odin closed the door behind him while shaking his head, and Loki's heart fell. ''No. For one thing, after everything you have done, I am not yet ready to believe your wish for change genuine. The second matter is that I have already decreed your punishment, there is no going back on it now.''

Loki felt the tears returning to his eyes and hated himself fervently for showing such weakness. ''Y-you are Odin, you can do as you wish...''

Odin's voice rung with commitment. ''No. Even I must live according to my word. Do you understand what it is to live by your word, Loki?'' His son did not reply, just sat staring mournfully at him, and Odin shook his head. ''Of course you do not. I hope to help you learn.''

Odin sat on the bed next to him casually, and every hair on Loki's neck stood on end. It had been a full year since last Odin had sat there, but seeing him there now sent thrills of remembered pain through Loki. His knuckles turned white as he gripped his pillow tightly, as if it were a shield to fend off the inevitable spanking.

Odin glanced over at him and sighed to see how pathetic his adopted son looked cringing upon his bed like a scared child. ''Come now, let us be done with this.''

Odin patted his left knee and Loki felt his heart race. ''W-wait, I am not yet ready...''

Odin scowled at him, ''You have had all night to prepare, the longer you put this off, the more fear you breed in yourself, best to begin now and be done with it.''

Loki hated where they were, but saw Odin's logic. Waiting would only lead to more anxiety, he might as well face the pain and be finished with the ordeal. Loki climbed over Odin's leg, feeling very small both physically and mentally.

Odin wasted no time, pulling Loki's britches down and laying palm across Loki's bared backside. Loki yelped out and shot his hands back at the pain, but Odin grabbed those hands in one massive fist and placed them in the small of Loki's back. Loki gave Odin a wide-eyed look of desperation at the sudden violence as Odin swatted him three more times in hard succession. ''Ah! Wait...!''

Odin shook his head. ''No, Loki, there is no more waiting to be had.'' Loki's legs kicked up as Odin began to plant powerful slaps across the tricksters already reddening ass, and Odin wasted no time shifting one of his own thick legs over Loki's so the god of mischief was completely pinned. Loki cried out at this, the lack of mobility terrifying him as Odin continued to punish his backside.

''Father! Ow! I am sorry! It was a jest! A prank, please have mercy!'' Loki felt the tears slide down his face as the pain in his rear became unbearable, his body flexing as best it could within Odin's grip as the All-father swatted him.

Odin growled as he worked Loki's ass to a bright red with his powerful callused hand. ''Nay, even you are aware of the gravity of tampering with an Asgardians weaponry. Even now you attempt deception, if not with me, then still at least with yourself.''

Loki considered his father's words as he cried out in pain. Odin was right, he had known what he did was borderline dangerous to Fandral, but had justified it to himself as a prank. ''Y-yes, I thought to make a jest, but I overstepped, I am truly sorry, and really did not mean Fandral true harm.''

Odin stopped a moment to regard his sobbing son. ''This is well. I know as a fact you were in the city for but one day and your thoughts have strayed so far from your control? You did well to last a year without treachery, but you proved me right when you turned to it at the slightest provocation.''

Loki was baffled, ''You were watching me all along? ...Proved you right?''

Odin nodded to him. ''Indeed. I know your nature, and was hoping it would change, but sensed it had not. When I spied your visit to Asgard, I scryed your future to be more certain. The mists of time are ever murky, so I decided to use what I knew of the possible future to test you. You failed my test.''

Loki began to put everything together in his own mind. ''You mean, you knew I would do what I did, so you gave that sword to Fandral in secret... and ... and you had him taunt me!''

Odin nodded. ''You are a bright, Loki, I only wish you would apply your intelligence to more productive uses.''

Loki felt hurt and angered. ''You pushed me into this! I may have left in peace and all would have been well. Why would you treat me so?!'' Loki's breath hitched as he sobbed his frustration.

Odin gave him a level no-nonsense stare. ''Maybe you would have left in peace for now, but can you honestly tell me that you would have been forever satisfied to leave things be? You needed this so I, Asgard, and yourself could see where you need to improve.''

Loki's natural reaction to this would have once been to protest vehemently, but now he clung to his need for a fresh start as stubbornly as he had once clung to that argumentative need. He had been impressed by how much better both Thor and Odin had thus far treated him after only mild changes to his temperament. Loki wanted for them, and all of Asgard, to truly respect him. He had always wanted it, it was just that his anger had blinded him...

Loki's thoughts were interrupted as he watched Odin unbuckling his belt with one hand, pulling the thick strap of leather free from the belt-loops in one smooth motion. ''W-wait, I had not yet responded, I was genuinely thinking over your words... please let me answer!'' Loki's eyes were wide as Odin lifted the belt over his head, his voice trembled in fear as he spoke.

Odin shook his head once, ''Indeed, you shall have plenty of time to mull over wisdom later, and consider your past course to plan your future one. And I will wish words from you. However, right now, all you must feel is regret.''

Loki yelped out as Odin brought the belt hard across both of his cheeks, the sting unbearable. ''Ah! Wait! Please!''

But Odin did not wait, and the volume of Loki's voice soon tripled as Odin laid one powerful slap after another across his already tender ass. Loki screamed him pain, begging Odin to stop, but the All-father continued slapping him all the same, ignoring Loki's words and yells. The trickster's body squirmed this way and that as the strap contacted his posterior, Loki could feel his cheeks convulse, clench, and quiver in pain between each blow, and his mind was numb with nothing but the agony of it.

After Odin has belted Loki ten or twenty times, Loki felt he would die to receive more, and his voice carried the tone of severe desperation. ''P-please! I can sincerely take no m-more! This is w-worse than before! Aagh! Mercy! M-mercy!''

But Odin still did not stop. ''Then I take it we are somewhere near where I pushed you last time?''

Loki bucked forward with each swing of the belt, his throat dry and sore from screaming loudly at each stinging swat. ''Y-yes! M-mercy!''

Loki craned his head back to see Odin shaking his head, and Loki's terror increased. ''Nay. The last time bought us one year of peace from you. I intent to pain you until the effect becomes more permanent.''

Loki sobbed out broken words as best he could, the pain interfering with his ability to speak. ''Yes! It is! I shall never cross you or any other Asgardian for the rest of eternity!''

Odin nodded, but did not stop, his belt contacting one red cheek then the other. ''Good. Only i must make certain of it. I assure you, you will never forget this day for the rest of your long life.''

Loki cried between screams of agony as Odin continued to rain punishment down on his sore backside. He thought of everything that had led to this, of how he could have listened to his inner voice at any one of those many times when it told him that he was making a mistake. But he had not listened to his own voice of reason! And now he suffered for it as he never had before. Loki wailed his pain as the flow of slaps continued.

After some time Loki began to beg once more that Odin stop, the trickster looking over his own shoulder with tearful eyes, but Odin continued to ignore him, the strong hand coming down again and again. Loki wailed his grief, he begged for mercy, he entreated that he could take no more, that surely the punishment must end.

Odin spanked Loki without heed to his sons words, seeing that this pained Loki greatly but barring himself from feeling pity in light of the need for Loki to learn from it.

Loki squirmed as he lost his voice from all the yelling, his mouth still miming silent screams of shock each time Odin's belt contacted flesh. With his voice gone, he could no longer even try to entreat Odin for mercy, and wide tracks of tears ran down his eyes as he realized to the fullest extent that not only would he not get free but that Odin had no intention of stopping any time soon. Loki lashed out in animal fury, trying to free himself from the unbearable stings as the belt left long red welts all over his rear.

Odin grunted at Loki's flexing and scrabbling, and he shifted Loki's weight forward, so that the trickster's head was closer to the floor, his ass high and seated perfectly at the hip upon Odin's knee. Loki mewled a sobbing protest to the further humiliation of this position, but Odin again ignored him, the belt moving into the air then across Loki's ass with instant result each time; Loki bucking and swaying to the full range of motion allowed him, the sounds from his torn throat muted but obviously very pained.

Odin finally stopped for a moment, regarding his son, giving Loki time to get his irregular hitching breath under control. Loki's sobs were wracking, but he did his best to reel them in, the fact that he cried so in front of Odin still embarrassing to him. ''Tell me what you will tell me now, Loki.''

Loki had hoped Odin would let him rise at this point, but when Odin made no move to do so, he whimpered at the thought that they were clearly not yet through. He must not argue that they should be, though. Loki now knew that that could only get him more punishment. So instead he did as Odin instructed, even though the angle he was seated at still shamed him greatly. ''I sincerely apologize for my m-mis-step, and I wish to affect the change you mention. I p-promise to do better, if only to escape further treatment such as this. I s-swear I will do everything in my power to earn your respect rather than your belt...''

Odin weighed Loki's words as he said them. A long moment passed, and Loki could not help but stare at the belt, the fresh pain causing his stomach to knot in cords at the thought that he would still be struck again. Finally Odin nodded, as if seeing something agreeable. ''Very well, you shall be given the chance to affect such change. Loki, do you know what else I had seen in my vision?''

Loki was taken aback that Odin now shared more of his holy vision with him. ''W-what did you see?''

Odin leaned down so Loki could better see his face was serious as he spoke. ''I saw a possible future where I did not test you. Where I put two options to vote before your peers, options that were slightly different than the ones I offered today, for you were being judged on an event more serious than the one that transpired today. In this vision, the majority voted you the death sentence, and you were sent to Hel for eternity for your treachery against your own people.''

Loki gulped as he studied the truth in his father's eyes. It was only a possible truth, but one that was possible, nonetheless.

Odin's voice was compassionate but firm. ''You did not realize until perhaps now how tired of your 'pranks' the others are. My ruse was not to cause you pain, Loki, but to save you from an eternity of it.''

Loki felt things he had never felt before, and even if he had had something to say in response to this, he was too choked on emotion to respond. Odin regarded him a moment longer before raising the belt again, much to Loki's horror, as the trickster let slip a squeal of terror. ''As you know, I make a habit of overdoing this so that you can not forget. And since we are going for permanence today, I shall quadruple the usual sum left to you. You shall feel forty more lashes before you have served your due.''

Loki wanted to protest but knew it would be in vain, so he merely conserved what was left of his ragged voice for crying out as Odin administered the first few lashes. Loki jerked forward and back at the vicious feeling of his burning sensitive cheeks being struck again after so long a break, sometimes his breath hitched from pain so great he could not even scream.

Tears began to flow again by the fifth swing, even though Loki had wanted desperately to end the punishment with some dignity left to him. As the tenth slap fell on swollen quivering cheeks, Loki knew there was no chance of that as he fell once more into screaming babbling convulsions as Odin struck him. He only hoped that no one saw him posed in such a way, kicking, struggling, and shouting as a child would. He knew Thor was outside the door before, and as the twentieth slap caused him to buck forward and let loose a high-pitched scream, he could only hope that his half-brother had departed.

Only half-way done, thought Loki. All of this I have just felt I must feel again! He felt no consolation once they reached thirty strikes, his movements becoming even more strained and desperate. He knew Odin hit him at the same pace, but each swing seemed to take an eternity to arc down on his reddened ass, his cheeks clenching in anticipation between each. By the time they finally reached the crescendo of Loki's punishment, Loki was arching his back with each swing, his whole body rigid, eyes closed tightly as he voiced silent screams of agony.

Loki did not even feel Odin place his shuddering form upon the bed, his body still convulsing as if he were still being spanked, the remembered pain directly after the punishment so strong that he covered his sore rear as if more lashes were still to come.

Odin regarded him a moment. ''We shall speak on the morn, get some rest. I am proud how much easier you have made this discipline on both yourself and I, Loki. I bid you good night.''

Odin left Loki there laying on his stomach, the trickster god trying to rein in his sobs, wanting nothing more than to at least appear strong. Odin thought back on the events of the night and once more considered if he had made the right choice concerning Loki. As he watched from the shadow of the doorway, and saw his son drift tiredly into sleep, the easy rest that comes from a free heart, he nodded to himself. Yes, this was good.

There may be hope for Loki's possible future yet, after all, fate was largely unwritten, was it not?


End file.
